


Seven Day Free Trial

by Carerra_os



Series: Harringrove Tumblr Stories [29]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Drinking, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:13:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25672603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carerra_os/pseuds/Carerra_os
Summary: Billy admits he is gay, and Steve has some questions.-“It started as a seven day free trial, but I forgot to cancel so here we are.” Billy always uses sarcasm to protect himself, taking a swig out of the bottle to avoid looking at Steve who looks like he might be sick.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Harringrove Tumblr Stories [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673560
Comments: 9
Kudos: 135





	Seven Day Free Trial

**Author's Note:**

> Post season 2

**Seven Day Free Trial**

They are almost friends after the fight at the Byers.

Steve returns with his sister and his car and all the kids looking dirty and run down, and Billy is still there groggy but awake. Billy wants to know what happened but he does not dare ask, he had a lot of time to think about what transpired earlier, a lot of time to feel shitty about how he reacted, how far he took things. So he offers up a stilted apology, first to Max, then Lucas, and lastly Steve who shrugs it off and offers him a cigarette.

It became their thing, sharing cigarettes while the kids do whatever it is they do. In the parking lot of the arcade, on the front steps of the Byers while the kids play Dungeon and Dragons. After a while watching and driving the kids around is not the only time they spend together. One of them will be outside smoking somewhere and the other will wander over and steal the cigarette, well Steve usually asks, Billy just takes. Cigarettes in the sunlight shift to cigarettes, booze, and moonlight at Steve’s place or out by the quarry on nights they do not want to deal with other aspects of their lives.

They are at the quarry tonight, Steve’s parents’ home for once and hosting a party he is not welcome to be seen at, so he steals a couple bottles of their good booze and meets Billy out under the bloated moon. They have been out here for hours, shooting the shit, drinking and smoking when conversation turns to real stuff, stuff they occasionally give mention to but never talk about.

Steve talks about his parents always being gone and his dad belittling him for his grades, how he needs to find a job for the summer because he did not get into college. Billy will not tell Steve how bad Neil is but he is drunk enough to offer up why they left California, they have been doing this for months now, he thinks he can trust Steve with the information. Part of him just wants Steve to know, wants Steve to think about it, because Neil moved them out here when he caught Billy with another boy, and Billy stopped thinking about him when he got to know Steve.

“Wait… You are gay? Why?” The words stumble out of Steve’s mouth unbidden he had not meant to ask why, he meant to ask how do you know. He feels like an idiot, and the sneer Billy is sending him makes him feel even worse. He does not want Billy to look at him the way his dad does.

“It started as a seven day free trial, but I forgot to cancel so here we are.” Billy always uses sarcasm to protect himself, taking a swig out of the bottle to avoid looking at Steve who looks like he might be sick.

“I didn’t, that, that wasn’t how I meant it.” Steve tries to amend mouth tongue tied and flinching when Billy turns hard angry eyes on him again, it is not the same look as the night at the Byers, Steve realizes that is not anger lurking in those blue depths that is fear.

“How the fuck did you mean it then.” Billy should not have said anything, should have just kept it to himself. He knows better, stupid Steve with his big pretty eyes making Billy forget himself.

Steve gathers up his courage and puts a hand on Billy’s, fingers going just tight enough to stay Billy’s hand when he tries to pull away. “I didn’t mean why, that wasn’t what I meant to ask. I mean how did you, you know, know.” Billy just keeps on glaring at him and Steve hurries to try and make it better so he just starts speaking without thinking.

“I mean I know I like girls, they’re great but like sometimes, sometimes I’ll look at a guy and I’m well…” Steve trails off, cheeks going pink as his own words catch up to him, he goes to pull his hand from Billy’s so he can wrap his arms around himself, but Billy grabs it tugging till Steve turns his eyes back to look at him.

Billy’s got hope in his throat, feeling clammy with it as he holds Steve’s hand tight,

“What about when you look at guys?” Billy licks over his dry lips, it is not helping, his whole mouth is suddenly dry with anticipation, he absently takes another swig from the bottle.

“Well uh sometimes I look at them and I think they’re _great_ too.” Steve admits cutting his eyes away again and stealing the bottle out of Billy’s hands, feeling even more heat bleed over his cheeks as their fingers brush.

“Yeah, anyone in particular you think is great.” Billy asks tongue and teeth out, pretty sure he knows the answer.

“You really gonna make me say it?” Steve tugs at their joined hands to emphasize who he thinks is great.

“Fuck yeah I want to hear you say it.” Billy will never miss an opportunity for someone to tell him how great he is and to sooth any lingering doubts.

Steve groans flopping back on the hood of the car. “You’re unbearable” Steve says loudly, voice lowering as he adds “but you're also great.”

Billy’s cheeks dust with color even with Steve’s dramatics, he leans back, stays propped up just enough to hover over Steve and looks down at him. “You’re pretty great yourself pretty boy, you want to start your seven day free trial now?” Billy asks grinning when Steve lets out a startled laugh and reaches up to pull him down.

**-end**

**Author's Note:**

> https://ghostofjellyfishforgotten.tumblr.com/


End file.
